Kitchenware-retaining device for a dish rack

ABSTRACT

A kitchenware-retaining device for a dish rack, including a rigid portion to connect to at least one kitchenware disposed on the dish rack to hold the at least one kitchenware in a predetermined position, and a flexible portion disposed on at least a portion of the rigid portion to connect to at least a portion of the dish rack to prevent movement away therefrom.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

The present general inventive concept relates generally to a device, and particularly, to a kitchenware-retaining device.

2. Description of the Related Art

A dishwasher usually has several dish racks to hold dishes, pots, pans, cups, utensils, and/or any other items commonly used in a kitchen. Each dish rack may be designed differently to accommodate each item to be washed and/or stored on each rack. Typically, a lower dish rack holds larger items and an upper dish rack holds smaller items.

Unfortunately, many items stored on the racks can shift during washing and/or cannot be inserted into an ideal position. For example, most pots and pans are tilted within the dish rack, which can make it difficult to insert additional items and/or risk damage to surrounding items in the disk rack.

Therefore, there is a need for a device that holds kitchenware on the dish rack, such that space on the dish rack is maximized and damage to other items is eliminated.

SUMMARY

The present general inventive concept provides a kitchenware-retaining device.

Additional features and utilities of the present general inventive concept will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the general inventive concept.

The foregoing and/or other features and utilities of the present general inventive concept may be achieved by providing a kitchenware-retaining device for a dish rack, including a rigid portion to connect to at least one kitchenware disposed on the dish rack to hold the at least one kitchenware in a predetermined position, and a flexible portion disposed on at least a portion of the rigid portion to connect to at least a portion of the dish rack to prevent movement away therefrom.

The rigid portion may include a first section, a second section disposed perpendicularly away from the first section with respect to a first direction, and a third section disposed perpendicularly away from the second section with respect to a second direction, such that the first section and the third section are in parallel.

The flexible portion deforms in response to connecting to the dish rack.

The rigid portion is magnetic to prevent movement of the at least one kitchenware.

The flexible portion is magnetic to prevent movement away from the dish rack.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other features and utilities of the present generally inventive concept will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of a kitchenware-retaining device, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept;

FIG. 2 illustrates a side perspective view of the kitchenware-retaining device disposed on a dish rack and connected to at least one kitchenware, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept; and

FIG. 3 illustrates a side perspective view of the kitchenware-retaining device disposed on the dish rack and connected to the at least one kitchenware, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various example embodiments (a.k.a., exemplary embodiments) will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which some example embodiments are illustrated. In the figures, the thicknesses of lines, layers and/or regions may be exaggerated for clarity.

Accordingly, while example embodiments are capable of various modifications and alternative forms, embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the figures and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit example embodiments to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, example embodiments are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure. Like numbers refer to like/similar elements throughout the detailed description.

It is understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another element, there are no intervening elements present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.).

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, e.g., those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art. However, should the present disclosure give a specific meaning to a term deviating from a meaning commonly understood by one of ordinary skill, this meaning is to be taken into account in the specific context this definition is given herein.

List of Components

Kitchenware-Retaining Device 100

Rigid Portion 110

First Section 111

Second Section 112

Third Section 113

Flexible Portion 120

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of a kitchenware-retaining device 100, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept.

The kitchenware-retaining device 100 may be constructed from at least one of metal, plastic, wood, glass, and rubber, etc., but is not limited thereto. Additionally, the kitchenware-retaining device 100 may be durable to resist damage within a dishwasher. Furthermore, the kitchenware-retaining device 100 may be waterproof, heatproof, and rustproof.

The kitchenware-retaining device 100 may include a rigid portion 110 and a flexible portion 120, but is not limited thereto.

The rigid portion 110 may be constructed of a first predetermined length. For example, the rigid portion 110 may have a length of at least one inch.

The rigid portion 110 may include a first section 111, a second section 112, and a third section 113, but is not limited thereto.

The second section 112 may be disposed perpendicularly, at a first end of the second section 112, away from a first end of the first section 111 with respect to a first direction. Additionally, the third section 113 may be disposed perpendicularly, at a first end of the third section 113, away from a second end of the second section 112 with respect to a second direction, such that the first section 111 and the third section 113 may be parallel.

As such, the rigid portion 110 may form a hook.

Referring to FIG. 1, the first section 111 with respect to the second section 112, and the second section 112 with respect to the third section 113 are illustrated to be orthogonal. However, the first section 111 with respect to the second section 112, and the second section 112 with respect to the third section 113 may be semicircular, acutely angled, or have any other shape known to one of ordinary skill in the art, but is not limited thereto. Additionally, although, a length of the third section 113 is illustrated to be less than a length of the first section 111, the length of the third section 113 may be equal to and/or greater than the length of the first section 111.

The flexible portion 120 may be constructed of a second predetermined length. For example, the flexible portion 120 may have a length of at least ten inches.

FIG. 2 illustrates a side perspective view of the kitchenware-retaining device 100 disposed on a dish rack 10 and connected to at least one kitchenware 20, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept.

FIG. 3 illustrates a side perspective view of the kitchenware-retaining device 100 disposed on the dish rack 10 and connected to the at least one kitchenware 20, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the kitchenware-retaining device 100 is illustrated to by cylindrical. However, the kitchenware-retaining device 100 may be flat, a rectangular prism, conical, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, or any other shape known to one of ordinary skill in the art.

The flexible portion 120 may bend, stretch, and/or deform to accommodate a variety of positions within the dish rack 10.

A first end of the flexible portion 120 may be disposed on a second end of the first section 111 of the rigid portion 110. Additionally, a circumference of the flexible portion 120 may be equivalent to a circumference of the rigid portion 110, but is not limited thereto. Alternatively, at least a portion of the circumference of the flexible portion 120 may be less than the circumference of the rigid portion 110 and/or greater than the circumference of the rigid portion 110 based on a size of the at least one kitchenware 20 and/or a size of the dish rack 10.

The flexible portion 120 may connect to (i.e. bend around) at least a portion of the dish rack 10, such that the kitchenware-retaining device 100 may be prevented from moving away therefrom. Moreover, the rigid portion 110 may be connected to the at least one kitchenware 10 to prevent movement. Also, the rigid portion 110 may connect to and retain the at least one kitchenware 10 at a predetermined position, such that the kitchenware-retaining device 100 may prevent the at least one kitchenware 10 from obstructing additional space, while the at least one kitchenware 10 is disposed within the dish rack 20. In other words, the kitchenware-retaining device 100 may hold the at least one kitchenware 10, such that the at least one kitchenware 10 may be organized to increase space on the dish rack 20.

The kitchenware-retaining device 100 may be rounded and smooth to prevent damage to the at least one kitchenware 10 and the dish rack 20.

Furthermore, at least a portion of the rigid portion 110 and/or at least a portion of the flexible portion 120 may be magnetic to increase connection of the kitchenware-retaining device 100 to the at least one kitchenware 10 and on the dish rack 20. In other words, the rigid portion 110 and/or the flexible portion 120 may be magnetic to prevent movement of the at least one kitchenware 10 and/or away from the dish rack 20.

Therefore, the kitchenware-retaining device 100 may maximize space on the dish rack 20 in response to holding the at least one kitchenware 10. As such, the kitchenware-retaining device 100 may prevent the at least one kitchenware 10 from damaging at least one other item within the dish rack 20.

The present general inventive concept may include a kitchenware-retaining device 100 for a dish rack 20, including a rigid portion 110 to connect to at least one kitchenware 10 disposed on the dish rack 20 to hold the at least one kitchenware 10 in a predetermined position, and a flexible portion 120 disposed on at least a portion of the rigid portion 110 to connect to at least a portion of the dish rack 20 to prevent movement away therefrom.

The rigid portion 110 may include a first section 111, a second section 112 disposed perpendicularly away from the first section 111 with respect to a first direction, and a third section 113 disposed perpendicularly away from the second section 112 with respect to a second direction, such that the first section 111 and the third section 113 are in parallel.

The flexible portion 120 deforms in response to connecting to the dish rack 20.

The rigid portion 110 is magnetic to prevent movement of the at least one kitchenware 10.

The flexible portion 120 is magnetic to prevent movement away from the dish rack 20.

Although a few embodiments of the present general inventive concept have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the general inventive concept, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents. 

1. A kitchenware-retaining device for a dish rack, the kitchenware-retaining device comprising: a rigid portion to connect to at least one kitchenware disposed on the dish rack to hold the at least one kitchenware in a predetermined position; and a flexible portion disposed on at least a portion of the rigid portion to connect to at least a portion of the dish rack to prevent movement away therefrom, such that a circumference of the flexible portion comprising a distance around the flexible portion is greater than a circumference of the rigid portion, such that the flexible portion stretches to a different position away from the rigid portion.
 2. The kitchenware-retaining device of claim 1, wherein the rigid portion comprises: a first section; a second section disposed perpendicularly away from the first section with respect to a first direction; and a third section disposed perpendicularly away from the second section with respect to a second direction, such that the first section and the third section are in parallel.
 3. The kitchenware-retaining device of claim 1, wherein the flexible portion deforms in response to connecting to the dish rack.
 4. The kitchenware-retaining device of claim 1, wherein the rigid portion is magnetic to prevent movement of the at least one kitchenware.
 5. The kitchenware-retaining device of claim 1, wherein the flexible portion is magnetic to prevent movement away from the dish rack.
 6. (canceled) 